Archives › 2012 › March › 23
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Neftali Feliz has made it through long-toss sessions in each of the last two days after leaving Tuesday’s start against the Cubs due to shoulder stiffness, but the Rangers plan to be extra cautious before clearing him to pitch in a game again. T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports that Feliz will not make his next…
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All signs are pointing toward Chris Perez being available for Opening Day. Perez, who has been sidelined since suffering a strained right oblique on April 24, threw 20 pitches Wednesday in a simulated game without incident and has now been cleared for game action. According to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com, the Indians’ closer will pitch…
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We’re getting close to the end here, folks. Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times passes along word that the field of bidders for the Dodgers was narrowed down to three earlier today. They are: The group led by hedge-fund billionaire Steven Cohen and philanthropist Patrick Soon-Shiong; The group led by Magic Johnson and veteran…
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With the Reds still being all hush-hush on his condition, Ryan Madson will travel to Cincinnati to have his ailing elbow examined by Dr. Tim Kremchek on Thursday. Madson was expected to pitch in a minor league game today, but it was announced last night that he was being scratched. Neither Madson nor team officials…
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We hope it comes with more mustard than a Nolan Ryan fastball. The Rangers plan to sell a one-pound frankfurter for $26 at concession stands starting on Opening Day. Billed as the Champion Hot Dog, it will be hoisted on to a two-foot-long bun. Toppings included chili, sauteed onions and shredded cheese. According to the…
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It was a given that Roy Halladay would start on Opening Day and be followed by Cliff Lee in the Phillies rotation. Baseball’s best No. 3 starter won’t go in game three, however. The Phillies announced today that Cole Hamels would be held back to start their fourth game, which is also their home opener.…
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Bobby Abreu doesn’t believe Mike Scioscia is going to give him 400 plate appearances
Mar 23, 2012, 5:20 PM EDT
Bobby Abreu is sort of a man without a position in Anaheim. Mike Scioscia, however, has promised him 400 plate appearances. Abreu, speaking to Lider en Deportes, translated by Nick Collias of MLB Trade Rumors, isn’t buying it: “I’ve learned not to have much confidence in these people, but I hope they live up to…
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Chris Carpenter “out indefinitely” with nerve irritation in shoulder
Mar 23, 2012, 4:53 PM EDT
Chris Carpenter left Cardinals camp earlier this week with what was described as a neck injury, but after several days of testing by specialists he’s been diagnosed with nerve irritation in his shoulder. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch reports that Carpenter is “out indefinitely” with an injury similar to one he had…
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Ian Kinsler’s agent met with Rangers, “not very optimistic” about extension
Mar 23, 2012, 4:16 PM EDT
Ian Kinsler‘s agent, Jay Franklin, met with the Rangers today about a contract extension at their request, but told T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com that he’s “not very optimistic” about the two sides getting something done before Opening Day. Franklin did say that the Rangers are making “a sincere effort” in negotiations and normally there wouldn’t…
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Whoa: Joba Chamberlain’s life was in danger following his ankle dislocation
Mar 23, 2012, 4:00 PM EDT
I think we need to stop with the Joba on the trampoline jokes. This stuff was serious, people. And if you’re squeamish, you may not want to even ready this: Joba Chamberlain lost so much blood Thursday when he hurt his ankle while playing with his son that there initially was concern for his life, a Yankees’…
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Vicente Padilla was really, really hoping to be a starter for the Red Sox, but that never seemed very likely and now it’s all but official that he’ll be working out of the bullpen to begin the season (assuming, of course, that he makes the team on a minor-league deal). Brian MacPherson of the Providence…
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Geoff Baker is in Japan, getting ready for the season-opening series between the Mariners and A’s. He got there a couple of days before the team and has been doing so sightseeing. One thing he saw: the Ichiro museum. It’s right in front of his parents’ house. And his mom and dad run it. And…
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Cubs demote top prospects Anthony Rizzo and Brett Jackson to Triple-A
Mar 23, 2012, 2:14 PM EDT
Neither player was expected to crack the Opening Day roster and today the Cubs made it official, optioning top prospects Anthony Rizzo and Brett Jackson to Triple-A. Rizzo was acquired from the Padres for Andrew Cashner in January and is the Cubs’ long-term answer at first base, but the team made it pretty clear that…
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Joe Torre spent a year in the league office of Major League Baseball, handing out discipline to players, dealing with postponements in the playoffs and pretending to supervise umpires while really doing nothing to fix bad umpiring all. Then he quit to try to buy the Dodgers. That didn’t work and, Major League Baseball just…
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Joakim Soria got second and third opinions after being diagnosed with a damaged ulnar collateral ligament and they all agreed, so the 27-year-old Royals closer will undergo Tommy John elbow surgery on April 3. Typically recovery timetables are 12-18 months, so Soria will miss the entire season and could be limited in early 2013 as…
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Matt Thornton favored over Jesse Crain and Addison Reed as White Sox’s closer
Mar 23, 2012, 12:48 PM EDT
White Sox manager Robin Ventura has avoided naming a closer or even giving strong hints about which way he’s leaning among Matt Thornton, Jesse Crain, and Addison Reed, but Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun Times reports that “the smart money” is on Thornton getting the job. Thornton struggled with some save chances early…
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Kirk Minihane of WEEI has more on the Bobby Jenks DUI arrest. Seems Jenks was pulled over for driving erratically, and when questioned, he told the deputy that the “took too many muscle relaxers.” He had dilated pupils, glassy eyes and slurred speech. Then this: When Deputy Sutphin asked Jenks if he had taken anything else other than the muscle relaxers,…
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Now the Phillies and Chase Utley won’t even talk about his health status
Mar 23, 2012, 12:16 PM EDT
For a while the Phillies tried to downplay the fact that Chase Utley wasn’t playing in any games this spring, insisting that it was being done to keep the second baseman and his bad knees from wearing down during the long season. Eventually they had to give up that ghost because Utley left camp to…
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Quote of the day: Don Cooper don’t need to think about no stinkin’ biomechanics
Mar 23, 2012, 12:05 PM EDT
There’s a long article in the ESPN the Magazine season preview issue about pitching and biomechanics. About how a pitchers’ motion and physical approach could make all the difference in terms of whether that pitcher maintains his health and avoids those visits to Dr. James Andrews. I’m not gonna say I fully understand this stuff.…
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Back in January the Astros claimed outfielder Fernando Martinez off waivers from the Mets and today Houston optioned the one-time top prospect to Triple-A. Being cut loose by the Mets for nothing and not being able to crack the Astros’ roster certainly aren’t good signs for Martinez, but he’s still just 23 years old and…
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Since the Joba Chamberlain news came out, a debate has sprung up about the wisdom employed by Mr. Chamberlain in being on that trampoline in the first place. Between the comments and Twitter, I’ve seen opinion range from “leave Joba alone!” to “Joba is the biggest idiot in the history of idiots.” I think both…
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Reds “don’t know” whether Aroldis Chapman will start or relieve
Mar 23, 2012, 11:19 AM EDT
Aroldis Chapman has pitched well as a starter this spring, but manager Dusty Baker said yesterday that the Reds remain unsure whether he’ll be in the rotation or the bullpen to begin the season. And according to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer sending Chapman to Triple-A so he can continue starting there is also…
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Bobby Jenks was arrested for DUI and hit-and-run at 4am this morning
Mar 23, 2012, 11:00 AM EDT
Red Sox reliever Bobby Jenks was arrested in Ft. Myers at 3:43 AM this morning. The charges: DUI, property damage and hit-and-run, suggesting that he crashed his car and tried to take off. Here’s his charging report. There aren’t any big details yet. Jenks was not expected to pitch for a long, long time —…
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Orioles prospect Matt Hobgood, picked No. 5 overall in 2009, to miss season following surgery
Mar 23, 2012, 10:47 AM EDT
Matt Hobgood has been a disappointment since the Orioles selected him with the fifth overall pick in the 2009 draft, throwing 158 innings with a 5.48 ERA in the low minors, and now Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reports that the 21-year-old right-hander will miss the entire season following shoulder surgery. According to Connolly…
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Joba Chamberlain dislocated his ankle while jumping on a trampoline with his son
Mar 23, 2012, 10:30 AM EDT
Face meet palm: Joba Chamberlain dislocated right ankle yesterday and had surgery last night. Cashman called it a significant injury. — Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) March 23, 2012 Cashman said Joba injured himself while playing with his son. They were jumping around on a “trampoline” of sorts. — Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) March 23, 2012 He’s still…
